Device for lowering coffins.



W. WESTERHEIDE.

DEVICE FOR LOWERING COFFINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. WESTERHEIDE.

DEVICE FOR LGWERING COFFINS.

APPLICATION FILED WWII-1,1915.

1,165,823. Patented Dec.28,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PMN'OURAPH c0 WASHiNGTQN. D. c,

WILHELTM WESTEBHEIDE, OF DUSSELDORF, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR LOWERING' COFFINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Application fi1ed May 18, 1915. Serial No. 27,875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IVILHELM ESTER- HEIDE, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 17 Velberterstrasse, Dusseldorf, Germany, manufacturer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Lowering Coffins, of which the following is a statement.

The present invention relates to a device for lowering coffins into the grave by aid of ropes or the like, which run over drums and the travel of which may be controlled by brake disks.

The invention consists essentially in that the drums and brake disks are not fitted directly on the one cross bar of the frame, but on a shaft at right angles to said cross bar, and that the two drums are controlled by brakes which are adapted to be separately lifted, means being however provided by which after the one pair of drums has made an independent revolution the coupling of both pairs and thereby the uniform rotation thereof is effected.

In consequence of the shaft and the drums being arranged in the aforementioned manner the bars of the frame of the device may be made of tubes telescoping into each other, so that the device is adaptable for any size of grave. Furthermore it is possible in lowering the coffin, to bring the latter into an inclined position by previously lifting the brake of the one pair of drums so that by means of this device coifins may also be lowered into tombs, the opening of which is shorter than the coffin, for example into tombs, with which a vault carrying a memorial stone and projecting into the tomb considerably shortens the length; in such case the coffin, which has been lowered in an inclined position, is run with its lower end beneath such vault, whereupon it may be completely lowered in a horizontal position.

In the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the present invention is exem- Fig. 2 a plan. Figs. 3 and 4: are a longitudinal section and a cross section, respectively, of the device on an enlarged scale, showing the arrangement of the drums and brake-disks.

The frame of the device is composed of telescoping longitudinal tubes at and corresponding transverse tubes 7) which are coupled at the corners by elbows 0. To the one transverse tube, and naturally to the wider plified, Figure 1 being an elevation, and

tube, which receives the other telescoping tube, is fitted a housing cl carrying the ropedrums and brake-disks. In this housing is journaled parallel to the longitudinal tube a shaft 6, which may be turned by means of a crank f fitted thereto outside of the housing. On shaft 6 are fitted two pairs of drums h and h, respectively, each provided with a brake disk 9 and 9 on the drums h, h run ropes 71 1, carried over rollers 7c, to a suitable point and there detachably joined with their ends to each other. The said pairs of drums are either both revolubly fitted on the shaft, or only one pair 71. is revoluble on said shaft, while the other pair it is rigidly secured to the shaft, which is, in this case, revolubly journaled. The two pairs of drums 7t, 72 have on the sides turned toward each other, each lug Z and Z respectively. These lugs are so disposed, that when the one pair of drums is revolved relatively to the other, the said lugs will strike against each other, so that the independent revolubility of the one pair of drums rela tively to the other pair is limited. The drums with their periphery fit snugly into the upper and the lower part of the housing cl, so that the ropes are prevented from jumping their grooves.

Thebrake disks 9, g are acted upon by two brake bands on, m respectively, the two rigid parts of which are hingedly secured at their one end to each other and at the same time to the housing (Z by means of a pin a, m respectively. At their other ends the brake bands are coupled by means of turn buckles o, 0 respectively, the screws of which lead out of the housing and are there fitted with small handwheels 79 provided with spanner holes, so that by inserting pins into the said holes and therewith turning said handwheels, the said brake members can be approached to each other and thereby pressed tighter against the brake disks, or slackened therefrom, respectively. WVhen a coffin is to be lowered into the grave by aid of the device, the frame of the latter is first set to the size of the mouth of the grave. Then the respective rope parts i and the parts i are secured by means of hooks or the like and the brakes are tightened. When, as shown in the drawings, a coffin has to be lowered which is longer than. the mouth of the tomb, the pair of drums h is turned before the ropes i and i are secured and the brakes are tightened contrary to the direc tion in which it lowers the coilin until its lug Z bears against the lug Z. After the coflin has then been laid over the two rope sections running over the two frames of the device, and the funeral service has been read, the brake m is first slackened, so that the pair of drums [L1 is turned by the weight of the coffin until its lug Z abuts against the other side of lug Z. Thereby the coflin will be lowered at its foot end and assumes the position shown in Fig. 1, so that, after the brake m m has been likewise slackened, the coffin will be able to sink in such inclined position through the mouth of the tomb actually shorter than the coflin itself.

I claim:

1. A device for lowering coflins comprising two pairs of drums, ropes engaging the same and adapted to support a cofiin, brakes adapted to control the drums, and coupling means between the drum pairs, whereby one of the drum pairs is adapted to operate first independently and then jointly with the other drum pair. I

2. Device for lowering coflins comprising ropes carrying the cofiin, two pairs of drums over which said ropes run, brake disks adapted to control the running of said ropes, a shaft carrying said drums and disks, a housing in which the shaft is journaled, a frame having a transverse member that carries the housing, brake bands hingedly secured to the housing and adapted to be individually slackened, one of the pairs of drums with the corresponding brake disk being revoluble on the said shaft, and means for limiting the relative revolubility of said pairs of drums to each other.

3. Device for lowering cofiins comprising the said shaft, means for ropes carrying the coffin, two pairs of drums over which said ropes run, brake disks adapted to control the running of said ropes, a shaft carrying said drums and disks, a housing in which the shaft is journaled, a frame having a transverse member that carries the housing, brake bands hingedly secured to the housing and adapted to be individually slackened, one of the pairs of drums with the corresponding brake disk being revoluble on the said shaft, and means for limiting the relative revolubility of said pairs of drums to each other, the said pairs of drums fitting snugly into the upper and lower part of said housing and adapted to prevent the ropes from jumping their grooves. v

4. Device for lowering coflins comprising ropes carrying the coflin, two pairs of drums over which said ropes run, brake disks adapted to control the running of said ropes, a shaft carrying said drums and disks, a housing in which the shaft is journaled, a frame having a transverse member that carries the housing, brake bands secured to the housing and adapted to be individually slackened, turnbuckles adapted to couple the brake bands, means for operating said turnbuckles, one of the pairs of drums with the corresponding brake disk being revoluble on limiting the relative revolubility of said pairs of drums to each other, snugly into the upper and lower part of said housing and adapted to prevent the ropes from jumping their grooves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature.

WILHELM WESTERHEIDE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

the said pairs of drums fitting 

